Upholstery construction



June 6, 1939.

C. LENZ, JR.. ET AL UPHOLSTERY CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 2, 1935 June 6, 1939. c. E. LENZ, JR, ET AL 2,160,971

UPHOLSTERY CONSTRUCTION Filed May 2. 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CZTLe/zz, Jn,

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Patented June 6, 1939 A 'UPHOLSTERY CONSTRUCTION- Charles Edward Lenz', 'Jr., Baltimore, Md., and Rutledge A. Parker, W aterbur-y, Conn.

' Application May 2, 1935, Serial No. 19,476

7 Claims. (61. la s-+179) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in upholstery construction, such as seat structure for chairs, couches, etc.

. Among the several objects of the invention are .to provide means for supporting the webbing in its normal position, and whereby the webbing will not pull away from the seat frame; to provide one or more rods arranged directly under the webbing for supporting the latter as well as the foundation springs; to provide such rods with upwardly extending eyes for receiving the bottom convolutions of said springs to thereby secure the latter against displacement; to provide said eyes with upwardly extending points for assisting in projecting the eyes upwardly through the webbing; to provide each rod with an adjustable portion whereby the-rod may be readily fitted to a standard sized frame; and to provide each rod with an upstanding attaching eye at each end whereby the same may b'e-readily attached to the opposite inner faces of the frame.

With these and other objects in view which will more fully appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by following the description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a chair frame showing a seat constructed in accordance with our invention. p

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure MS a view simi'lar'to Figure Zjbutshowing a modified form of supporting rod.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing one of the rods illustrated in Figures l to 4,

Figure '7 is a perspective view showing one of the rods illustrated in Figure 5,

Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views showing modified forms of eyes mounted on the supporting rod,

Figure 10 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a modified form of attaching means; and

Figure 11 is a view taken at right angles to Figure '10.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings. p

Referring to the drawings, our invention includes a' supporting frame A which in this instance isa chair having frontwlegs 5, 5 and rear legs 6, 6'. The seat supporting frame includes a front wall 1, a rear wall 8, and side walls 9,10. It

will be understood that the frame A illustrates but one type of frame to which our supporting rods may be applied.

A webbing B of burlap, canvas, or other suitable material, preferably of one-piece, is stretched tightly across the frame and issecured along all of its marginal edges to the lower faces of the frame walls by tacks II or other suitable means. Thus the webbing in its normal position does not extend above the lower edges of the frame. Several rows of foundation springs C are supported on the webbing A, and are adapted to be connected together at their upper ends and to the frame by the usual means.

It is well known in the art that a one-piece webbing for supporting a plurality of foundation springs embodies more desirable flexibility than is inherentin a webbing formed by crossed straps.

However with either for-m of webbing employed, a sagging thereof will be produced whenever a load is placed on the foundation springs. We'have, therefore, provided a plurality of supporting rods D which extend across the frame below the webbing B and have their ends attached to the walls of the seat frame. These rods are respectively disposed under the rows of foundation springs and cooperate with the webbing B to afford additional support for the springs whereby the amountof sagging of thewebbing will be reduced to the minimum and yet permit of said webbing retaining the desired flexibility.

The rods' D are disposed directly below the webbing B and are attached to theframe A in a manner'to support said webbing in its normal position as shown particularly in Figures 3 and 4.

In the preferred construction shown in Figures 1 to 4, and 6, each rod D is bent intermediate its ends at 'a plurality of points to form upwardly extending eyes I2 whicha-re arranged in pairs, the openings of the eyes being in a plane at right angles to the length of the rod. The end'portions 1 of the rod are bent upwardly as at I3, I3 and terin a common plane and in the same plane as the fabric. This adjustable portion E permits the rod to be readily assembled on standard frames of different dimensions within certain limits. This adjustable portion E will also permit the rod to bow downwardly with the webbing B when the latter is placed under a load. By means of the eyes 12, the lower convolutions of the foundation springs C may be readily threaded thereinto and by this means the springs are adapted to be quickly and securely attached to the supporting rods and retained in their proper spaced positions.

In the form illustrated in Figures 5 and 7, each supporting rod F is provided with a plurality of pairs of eyes I2a and with attaching eyes Ma,

Ida at its ends. The eyes I2a are preferably pointed as at lBa whereas the attaching eyes Ma are left in the same plane as the body portion of the rod and are adapted to be attached to the lower faces of the front and rear walls 1 and 8 of the frame A by nails I! or other suitable fastening means. This rod F is bent intermediate its ends to form spaced zig-zag shaped adjustable portions G which are disposed in a common plane and in the plane of the webbing B.

Instead of forming the foundation spring attaching eyes I2 and l2a by coiling the same from the rod as shown in Figures 1 to 7, we may employ a rod H wherein the eyes are formed by bending the rod upwardly into an inverted U form as shown at [8 and surrounding each eye with a collar H] as shown in Figure 8.

In Figure 9, we have illustrated a still further form wherein a plurality of eyes 20 are formed by a wire which has its ends wound around the rod I.

In Figures 10 and 11 we have disclosed a further modification wherein additional means are provided for securing the ends of the rod J to the front wall I of the frame. The end of the rod J is formed into an eye 2| which is secured to the under face of the wall I by a nail 22 or other suitable means, The maximum load imposed on the seat is adjacent the front wall and in order to provide against the nail 22 pulling out, we employ a hanger 23 which is formed of stamped metal to provide an attaching body which is secured to the inner face of the front wall I at a point directly above the webbing B by nails 24. The lower end of the body is provided with spaced compression spring receiving sockets 25, 25 directly above the webbing, and with a centrally disposed tongue 26 which projects downwardly through an opening or slit 2! in the webbing and is formed with an eye or opening 28 for receiving the rod J and thereby provide a secondary support for the end of said rod.

It is of course to be understood that the details of structure and arrangements of parts may be variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

l. Upholstery construction comprising a frame having marginal walls, of a webbing secured to the walls thereof, and a rod extending across the frame below the webbing, one end of the rod being supported by a hanger attached to the inner face of the associated wall and projecting downwardly through the webbing to engage the rod, said hanger being provided with an eye above the webbing to receive a compression spring, the end of the rod being formed into an eye disposed below the associated wall of the frame and attached to said wall.

2. Upholstery construction comprising a frame, a yieldable webbing secured along its marginal edges to said frame and normally disposed in a single flat plane, a supporting spring-steel rod directly attached at its ends to opposite walls of the frame, said rod being normally disposed in a plane parallel to the webbing and located directly under and in contact with said webbing, and a foundation spring seated on the webbing directly above the rod whereby both the webbing and the rod support said spring, said rod being formed with a pair of spaced eyes projecting upwardly through the webbing for receiving the lower convolution of the spring, said rod being also provided with a longitudinally yieldable portion located between one attaching end of the rod and said pair of eyes.

3. Upholstery construction comprising a frame, a yieldable webbing secured along its marginal edges to said frame and normally disposed in a single flat plane, and a supporting rod directly attached at its ends to opposite walls of the frame, said rod being normally disposed in a plane parallel to the webbing and located directly under and in contact with said webbing, said rod being longitudinally yieldable whereby the rod will bow downwardly co-extensively with the webbing when weight is placed upon the latter, said rod being bent intermediate its attaching ends into a zig-zag shape to form a longitudinally yieldable portion, said zig-zag portion being flat and disposed in a plane parallel to the webbing.

l. Upholstery construction comprising the combination with a frame, and a yieldable webbing of vegetable fibre secured along its marginal edgesto said frame and normally disposed in a single fiat plane, of an attachment therefor comprising a one-piece supporting metallic rod directly attached at its ends to opposite Walls of the frame, said rod being normally disposed in a plane parallel to the webbing and located wholly and directly under and in contact with said Webbing, said rod being longitudinally yieldable whereby the rod will bow downwardly co-extensively with the webbing when weight is placed upon the latter, said rod being provided with a pair of spaced eyes projecting upwardly through the webbing, and a foundation spring seated on the webbing directly above the rod and having its lower convolution engaged in said spaced eyes whereby said spring is supported by both the webbing and the rod and the spring is retained against movement relative to the rod, said rod being bent intermediate one attaching end and said pair of eyes into a zig-zag shape to form a longitudinally yieldable portion, said zig-zag portion being flat and disposed in a plane parallel to the webbing.

5. Upholstery construction comprising the combination with a frame, and a yieldable webbing of vegetable fibre secured along its marginal edges to said frame and normally disposed in a single flat plane, of an attachment therefor comprising a one-piece supporting spring-steel rod directly attached at its ends to opposite walls of the frame, said rod being normally disposed in a plane parallel to the webbing and located wholly and directly under and in contact with said webbing, said rod being longitudinally yieldable whereby the rod will bow downwardly co-extensively with the webbing when weight is placed upon the latter and then return to normal position when relieved of said weight, said rod being provided with a pair of spaced eyes projecting upwardly through the webbing, and a foundation spring seated on the webbing directly above the rod and having its lower convolution engaged in said spaced eyes whereby said spring is supported by both the webbing and the rod and the spring is retained against movement relative to the rod, said eyes being pointed upwardly to facilitate the projection of the eyes through the webbing.

6. Upholstery attachment comprising a onepiece supporting rod having attaching means at its ends, the rod intermediate its ends being formed into a pair of eyes projecting in the same general direction for receiving the lower convolution of a foundation spring, said rod between one end and said eyes being bent into a zig-zag tion, said eyes projecting in the same general 10 direction and having pointed upper ends.

CHARLES E. LENZ, JR. RUTLEDGE A. PARKER. 

